Hi everyone,

While I usually wait for some interested (and talented poster to which we are blessed with many) to either ask a question or bring up a worthwhile subject to be discussed, with this hand, and being aware of Sir Isaac Newton’s poignant quote, I’ll make an exception.

My subject turns to bidding system, to which like the brutal (and ugly) expression of “skinning cats”, there are many choices. Today NS were likely playing a common simple version of Precision, with a one diamond opening only promising, at least, only two cards.

Whether one noticed or not and while playing matchpoints, 1NT was reached with North deeming it not wise to return to 2 diamonds, by whatever method they could, because of their above stricture. Further and in practicality NS can do better with either spades, hearts, or diamonds as trump than their (should be, 1 down in 1NT or even, such as today’s defensive
flaw, NS scoring it up, although even +90 should be close to a bottom score (in a high-level event).

Yes, three clubs should probably be scored up, if bought by EW, but, no doubt, NS should and will make four diamonds, unless the EW opening lead and subsequent defense becomes double dummy or what could alternately be called, “lights out” where EW will be held to only nine tricks instead of ten even if they see fit to chance bidding that high.

What is my point, one may ask? Only though I consider simple Precision a much better than average choice of system, NO SYSTEM, (at least contrived up to now, and IMO) is markedly superior to the next, simply because in choosing basics (and details) there are simple (but ever present) flaws in all of them, again allowing Newton’s prophetic quote to reign supreme.

If anyone is interested, my favorite system, four card majors, strong club, usually strong NT (15-17) with rare, easily handled, exceptions, a relatively small amount of canape by opener, and some type of Flannery with still room for strong 4-4-4-1 hands (any and usually a 2 diamond opening) to be added.

The takeaways (losing a weak 2 heart bid including, a 2 over 1 GF, and, of course, the biggest disadvantage easily being the ability of clever opponents to preempt our forcing 1 club opening, when, of course, they are dealt the right hands to do it, but even then, the partner of the opening bidder will have the knowledge that partner has a very good hand (17+), usually allowing better judgment by him or her, after RHO clouds the issue with a dealt preempt.

However, my purpose for the above rant is only to suggest what I found to be, at least for me, the better system to choose, especially when playing against the world’s best.

Very simply, the above method described, often caused good opponents to guess what to do, rather than to be able to use their well-worked out system to arrive at the best contract and, over the long run (where the law of averages is at its best) often deprived them from getting in the bidding to secure the best opening lead, an advantage often overlooked by many as not thought to be of much concern, but IMO is vastly underrated.

The above will add better slam bidding especially after a one club opening, more natural preemptive value with four card major openings (often cuts out the one level defensive overcall), helping partner with his opening lead and above all, if immediately finding a major suit fit, will get to game before fourth hand has gotten a first chance to bid.

Please understand and accept what was said earlier, no bidding system is anywhere near the perfection we all seek, but only a case of choosing one which seems to work better than others (and all the time against much better than average competition).

Good luck and sincerely hope you made it this far in what I deem worth describing, just in case, you take playing bridge very seriously.

Good Morning Bobby
From a recent Club game…a hand with some awkward bidding issues…at least for me!
North KJ965 972 Q98 65
East 4 OJ J7532 J10987 (me,Dealer, passed)
South Q8732 A84 A4 K42 (opened 1S)
West A10 K10653 K106 AQ3
The auction: 1S X 4S ??(me). North’s 4S call made life difficult (weak? possibly making?)
In the auction as shown what call should East make?
If West had instead overcalled 1NT, then same 4S by North, what does East do in that case?
Thanks

forgot to include: Matchpoints NS Vul

Hi Bobby, Wonder how the bidding would have gone in Acol: East p South 1N(12-14) West 2C*(Hearts n minor) North pass,E 2D* S p W 3C pass out? Or E p S 1N(12-14) W p N 2C*,E p S 2D W p N 2H passed out? Or South’s 1N passed out? More action likely in Acol sequence perhaps? MERRY CHRISTMAS to fellow contributors here and last but not least to you and Judy-Good Health and All The Best for the New Year! Thanks for all your help~Patrick.

HI Clarksburg,

For what it’s worth I’m bidding 4N in either case, partly due to the vulnerability, although I’d be less happy if part had bid 1N when I could be turning a small plus into a fair sized minus. I’d be more inclined to double if pars bids 1N.

Sane answer from Bobby, though. I hope you’re having a good day with family and friends.

Iain

Hi Clarksburg,

First, thanks for remembering to quote both the vulnerability and the specific form of competition, for without which, almost everything changes and I must say, markedly.

Please allow me to answer in a somewhat roundabout manner, dealing with all four positions while trying to create a scenario in which Jiminy Cricket, the animal which sat on Pinocchio’s shoulder, hopefully guiding him to straighten up and fly right.

Second to speak, South opened a normal 1 spade. Then West doubled, my choice, since having only 2 spades, not being AQ or possibly AK will not be best (remember, just my judgment with an exception of a very good almost solid 6 card minor suit, which, indeed, would encourage bidding NT even with only Kx in the opened suit.

Now to North and his vulnerable significant overbid by jumping to game. However and for
strategy sake, that bid, with the opponents NV, has a great deal to recommend it, since even good and especially experienced opponents will have no way of knowing that North doesn’t have a MUCH better playing hand, including short suit(s).

However, that doesn’t mean I heartily endorse such a thing, but it now matters who one’s opponents may be, and if I think they are timid in nature I would certainly not bid 4 spades, because it could easily then go all pass, down two (-200) with nothing very unusual held around the table.

Continuing and, of course, North having ventured 4 spades, I will take the bait and chirp 4NT since (being a minor suit TO) methinks by playing in our longest minor suit I doubt seriously that partner will not be able to take, at least 8 tricks, making it a winning sacrifice against a making game by those ugly adversaries.

Finally, yes I would expect North to have much more (wrong though I may be) and thus his incredible overbid became the 100% best bid
(by Dame Fortune) who sits above us, creating her results, this time with smoke and mirrors.

If West would have first overcalled 1NT, but North still bid 4 spades (even a more incredible overbid), and a decent player was sitting North, (who also heard the1NT bid, possibly causing him to be less bold) I would (by holding that East hand) make the same mistake and take the sacrifice.

Yes, I am that stupid, but I can rationalize it away, especially when I do not have to endure a dirty look from partner, not as bad as my result might effect me.

Truth hurts, but, in fact is, like always, by far the winning option, if future positive results are in the cards.

Hi Patrick,

It’s guys like you, and many others, who inject good questions and do so with a wonderfully positive manner, who make our site worth following.

Merry Xmas, Happy New Year and much love to someone who deserves it. If only the whole world would follow suit and I do not mean only at the bridge table.

Thanks for the response and reasons given.
Supplementary follow-up re West’s initial call:
How much “worse” is a 1NT overcall (with single Spade stop) versus the preferred TO Double?
(i.e. by accepting the “Spades” risk to overcall 1NT, West provides a nice description of strength range and shape to help Partner decide what to do).
Any relative merit for 1NT; or do you consider it a complete NO NO ?
Thanks again.

Hi Clarksburg,

Here is the breakdown by me, with no guarantees only experience.

A reason to overcall is a nice description of the overall strength, plus an underrated 10 of spades. which complies nicely with the Jxx or Qxx.

However (you knew that was coming), the 5 card side suit is hearts and although the hand in question may be able to get hearts in the game himself, it is more likely by choosing a double.

Also if combined with partner leaves only a total of 5 spades, it could be crucial to be able to duck two rounds. Having at least 3 of every other suit is a plus for double, in order to ward off the bogey man in case of catching him with very little, but a 5 card minor suit.

Although I would not regard 1NT as a NO NO and even recommend it when being a professional and playing with a client, it just seems a better percentage choice to double.

And it was purposeful that I didn’t mention only a single spade stop, since the 10 of spades being in my hand might be better for me to be declarer rather than partner when the opening leader (weak hand) is dealt the queen or the king of spades and partner the jack.

IOW, certainly not horrible, but IMO just anti-percentage.